PSA Report: Chlorinating and Charter Negotiations
Official newsletters will be sent to all customers of the PSA, including schools that are a part of the system, before the process of chlorination begins.
Customers of the Floyd-Floyd County Public Service Authority will notice a change in their water this spring as chlorine is introduced to the system to help cut back on mineral buildup and other possible contaminants.
While a set date hasn’t been announced, officials expect the change to happen within the next couple of months, and they’re anticipating a variety of questions from community members who will be affected. Official newsletters will be sent to all customers of the PSA, including schools that are a part of the system, before the process of chlorination begins.
Attorney Janet Murrell said sharing the rationale behind adding chlorine to the system with customers might help cut down on repeat questions. “This is normal, right? Places do it all the time…” she said. ”I think you just need to be able to explain why you’re doing it and how it benefits the system.”
At Edward Jones, we deliver candid guidance and personalized investment strategies to help you plan for and realize the possibilities of your future — for you, your family and generations to follow.
Hurt and Proffitt Engineer Matt Gross, who works with the Board regarding PSA operations and system management, explained that the amount of chlorine will be roughly one part per million, or about one drop per 10 gallons of water. He also noted that Floyd is “one of the few systems in the state” that hasn’t already introduced chlorine to its public water system.
Mike Maslaney, who was named Chairman of the Board for 2026 at the beginning of the Feb. 17 meeting, said that adding chlorine will help “sanitize the system” from bacteria that may be found in the pipes and cut down on mineral buildup, such as iron.
Board member Jerry Boothe, who rejoined the PSA Board during the Board of Supervisors’ reorganizational meeting at the beginning of the year, said he thinks most folks will be understanding. He noted that some system users have put in their own filter systems to counteract the iron increase throughout the whole county.
“There will be ones who try to raise Cain, but I think most are going to understand,” he said.
PSA Superintendent Patrick Nicola said that while the timeline for implementation isn’t yet set in stone, it would be good to give customers plenty of notice, even if implementation needs to be delayed to April.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, public utilities in the U.S. first started using chlorine to kill germs in tap water in 1908. Learn more about the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 here.
Charter Chatter
Another topic of conversation at the Feb. 17 PSA meeting revolved around creating the new PSA Charter. Floyd Town Council, the PSA Board, and the Floyd County Board of Supervisors last held a joint meeting in December 2025 for Charter negotiations, and two Supervisors (Boothe and Joe Turman) and two Council members (Will Griffin and Chris Bond) have met since then in a private setting.
Director Jerry Boothe told the PSA Board that the county has submitted a return proposal for the new Charter to last four years. Town Council and the PSA Board originally proposed a 10-year period. He also emphasized that if a Charter isn’t in place by the time this one expires in April, “the PSA still operates – we need to let the employees know that.” However, he added, the lapse may impact the PSA’s ability to apply for loans and grants.
Boothe said the four-year proposal “was the best me and Joe could do.” He also noted, “I’m not going to say anything on behalf of the others, but after the discussion I was tickled we settled on four.” He said some of the reasoning is, “four years from this April isn’t anyone’s election year.”
Director Rick Parrish said, “It’s a shame to turn something that’s so important to the community into a political issue,” and Mayor Will Griffin said he doesn’t “understand where the politics are…”
Griffin asked Boothe if there’s a possibility of having another meeting so that Council members, or himself and Bond, can hear the rationale behind the four-year Charter proposal. He noted that it’s hard to lean on blind trust without understanding why certain decisions are being made.
Call us today to schedule (540) 235-3095